


SEED’s Reckoning

by Tlern467



Category: Final Fantasy 8
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Comedy, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 22:21:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18979507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tlern467/pseuds/Tlern467
Summary: Ultimecia’s plan for time compression has been stopped, but the survivors of the conflict have a new, even greater threat to deal with that could threaten everything they think they know. Does SEED exist or does it need to be destroyed?





	1. Chapter 1

SEED’s Reckoning 

Chapter one 

“Hmm. Any idea where Kinneas went?”   
“No sir,” the SEEDs replied, giving a salute. “Your orders sir?”   
“Just keep an eye out for him. Dismissed,” Squall said.   
“Sir!” The SEEDs saluted again and left. 

Balamb Garden was busier than usual anymore. Defectors from Galbadia, researchers from Esthar’s old Moon Base and Tears Point who weren’t safe anymore, some transfers from Trabia who were waiting on their SEED exams. 

Then there were the disturbing reports coming out of known GF (Guardian Force) habitats. Squall had sent a few squadrons to investigate Balamb’s old fire cavern and Dollet’s radio tower. Neither of which had returned from their missions. Some of their own Guardian Forces were changing-making them too dangerous to summon on the field of battle until SEED had a better idea just what was happening.

A group of medical SEEDs rushed past with two severely injured junior SEEDs. Damn it, Squall had ordered the training center quarantined! 

Squall hurried over to where the medical team stopped.   
“What’s the situation?”   
“Oh, sorry sir, didn’t see you there. Kids will be alright. Just got a dose of sleeping powder. Her mentor got clawed up pretty bad though.”   
“Any idea why they were in there?”   
“Yes. Mentor said it was an assignment from Instructor Adell. Strange, i thought the zone was still under quarantine.” The team worked flawlessly to patch the bleeding and examine the unconscious mentor. 

Just what was going on!?   
“Thank you. Keep up the good work, I’m gonna do some digging of my own.”   
“Thank you sir,” the team said. 

He could only hope instructor Adell was in her office on the second floor. 

Squall ascended the elevator to the lobby where junior students were doing push ups and training exercises under the watchful purvey of their mentors. 

“Classrom 2 Beta D,” he said to himself. The door was shut. Strange.   
He knocked.   
“Instructor Adell, this is Commander Leonhart.”   
He heard a series of muffles and what might have been an altercation.   
There was no time, he pressed his body against the door with all his strength and pushed through, the door shoving aside.   
Instructor Adell had a gag over her mouth and purple shrouded figures turned their attention to Squall. The two laughed and then disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Leaving only questions again. 

He undid the gag and the makeshift restraints.   
“Ah thank you Squall,” the older instructor said once she caught her breath. “I thought for sure they were going to kill me. They kept spouting some nonsense of Death to all SEED.”   
“Instructor, there’s two gravely injured students. Did you authorize a mission to the training center? The mentor said it was your assignment.”   
“What? No of course not. That mentor must be confused. I’ve been in my office working on the Trabia restoration efforts until those hooligans entered, started questioning me about what our next target was. Then they got angry, overpowered me and tied me up. Kept spouting some nonsense about keeping the world safe from SEED. Fanatics of some kind. Perhaps you can look into what dolt is forging my orders and putting students at risk.”   
“I intend to do just that,” he said. 

His head was full of questions again. He supposed it was good to go back to the bridge. Maybe the officers there could give him some clues, something to work with. 

“Hm,” Xu said. “Purple cloaked would be assassins. With your permission, commander, I’ll send patrols to the second and third floor classrooms.”   
“Do it,” Squall said. “Standing order-unless in an emergency, the patrols are not to summon any Guardian Forces until the order’s rescinded.”   
“Understood commander,” she said, typing into her portable computer. “If you’ll excuse me commander.”   
“Quistis, any news from our patrols?”   
“Yes Squall,” Quistis said. “Both squads returned. No engagement, but both were pretty shaken up. They’re in the infirmary now. Are you going down to see them?”   
“Yes,” Squall said. “Any news about Kinneas? Selphie’s pretty shook up.”   
“Yes. He’s in Winhill. But Squall, why would he leave and not tell any of us? It just doesn’t make sense...”   
“Yeah,” Squall said. “Anything else?”  
“No Squall,” she said. “But I would come along when you question those squads.”   
“I’d appreciate the help,” Squall said. And this time he knew he genuinely meant it. 

The infirmary was dark, with only a few lights left on. Moans of the wounded carried through. The infirmary was quickly getting over capacity unless something was done. 

“Ah good you’re here,” Kadowaki said. “The squads are in the next room. A few light burns, some minor abrasions from local monsters. Whatever they saw traumatized them. I would not send them on any more missions for now.”  
“Understood,” Squall said. 

The squads looked like they had stepped into a nightmare. Bedraggled.   
Quistis carefully asked the questions Squall knew he could not. And so the exchange went on. 

Quistis and Squall waited until they were well away from the infirmary before they spoke again.  
“Well it looks like something’s definitely up with some Guardian Forces. But what do we do about it?” Quistis said.   
“We’re going to have to investigate,” Squall said. “If something’s wrong with GFs it...”   
“Puts all of Garden at risk. I know.”  
“I’m planning on setting out tomorrow morning,” Squall said.   
“By yourself? Absolutely not, Commander. I’m coming with you!”   
“Keep it down.”   
“Hey guys,” Zell said as he walked up. “If you’re going to Balamb, count me in.”   
“Didn’t you say you had stuff here?”   
“Well yeah, but that’s my home man. Something’s going on at the hotel. You know how Ma is. Anyway, i gotta go.”   
Quistis and Squall shared a look.   
The hotel was where they fought Fujiin and Raijiin and got Pandemona. 

“Okay but you can’t summon any GFs until I say so,” Squall said.   
“Weird thing but sure, I guess.” 

Squall would have his answers. Too many people were counting on him not to.   
He just had a feeling the answers weren’t gonna be to his liking...


	2. Chapter Two-Malfeascance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squall, Zell and Quistis arrive to a Balamb in chaos. Strange monsters are flowing from the Fire Cave and worse from the Hotel.

Chapter Two-Malfeascence 

“What the hell!?” Zell said. They arrived to a previously tranquil island in upheaval.   
“Focus Zell,” Quistis said. “Where do we go first?”   
“The Fire Cave. Zell, it looks like the town is safe for now. You can go and check if you want, but remember why we’re here.”   
Zell bunched up his fists then sighed. “Alright, Squall, alright.” 

The monsters were not a different species so much as...more feral? Their eyes had a haunted green glow. The closer they got to the fire cave, the more monsters pressed at them. Some attacked, but most just...spread out, almost like an infection. 

They got to the entrance right before the cave, a narrow dirt road nothing more, when Zell screamed and fell to his knees. Fire licked out in bursts around his glove. He breathed heavily, steam escaping from his mouth.   
Then just as the pain seemed to reach its zenith, it went away. Zell panted before slowly picking himself up.   
“What the hell was that?!” Zell shouted   
“That, Zell, is why I gave the order not to summon GFs,” Squall said.   
“I wonder why nothing’s happened with Queza and Shiva?” Quistis said.   
“Not yet anyway. We don’t know what we’re up against yet.” 

The trio pushed forward to the fire cave’s searing depths. It was a cacophony of heat and sound. Shadowy silhouettes bubbled up from deeper in-all with the same haunted green eyes. 

Lava hissed and frothed menacingly as they picked their way further in. The entire cave complex seemed to be waiting for something to happen. 

Ifrit waited for them in the very heart. But this Ifrit was different. He was still heat and fire incarnate, but blackened, corrupted somehow. Green eyes flashed in Squall’s direction. 

“SEED,” the monstrous apparition snarled. “SEED. Cursed SEED, time for your Reckoning. You are a blight on this land SEED. I and my fellow Guardians will root you out! Now die!” 

Squall drew his gunblade and a ready stockpile of para magic. He flung icy crystals at this new Ifrit. Quistis staggered him back with her whip. Ifrit snarled and summoned blackened bombs with green eyes. Zell hammered at these new foes despite the pain having Ifrit junctioned to him was bringing him. Squall swung and pulled the trigger, letting the extra burst of power dig into this new monster.   
The battle wore on, neither side gaining or losing ground. But the struggle against Ifrit junctioned to Zell was wearing him down.   
Finally Ifrit in his overconfidence exposed his weak spot, a glowing set of wicked stones and green mist.   
Squall cast Aura and let his natural limit break come forth-his true potential from years studying the exotic blade.   
Renzokuken hammered at the stones, and the stones did everything they could to fight back. Then Squall followed up with Rough Divide. 

Ifrit snarled in rage. “SEED, SEED!” Squall tried to dodge the last swipe of Ifrit’s claws. He felt them tear into his clothing and draw blood. He felt himself crash to the warm stone of the arena.   
Shiva materialized, gathering shards of ice around her and the blizzard that was Diamond Dust.   
“Shiva, you dare defy Hyne’s will!? Hyne has decreed-SEED must die!”   
She blasted Ifrit with Diamond Dust then returned to where she was safely junctioned to Squall.   
Squall fought hard against the encroaching blackness. Whatever this thing was, whatever it claimed-they had to win. They had to survive. Hundreds of thousands of people beyond Garden were looking for them to find the truth.   
Then, a gong and Squall and company were taken safely away from the arena. Another gong.   
Gilgamesh stepped forward in his red, many armed splendor.   
“You too!? Die traitor!”  
Gilgamesh, however, was the faster opponent. He swung with liquid fast reflexes.   
“Nooo!” Ifrit bellowed and then disintegrated into shards of fire, green and black that coalesced briefly into the familiar shape of Griever before zipping away somewhere else.   
They were brought back to this plane. The cave shook, like a giant waking from a terrible nightmare. The monsters in the cave seemed to be coming to their senses as well. The uncontrolled flame of a junctioned Ifrit seemed to have quieted down also.   
“Come on Squall, stay with us. Come on.”   
But the cold and the darkness was too strong. It was sucking him in.   
He was alone again like he was as a kid, alone at the end of a mission... 

But somehow even with the darkness closing in, he felt then saw Ellone.   
“You can’t give in yet. You haven’t discovered the truth yet have you?”   
Why? His scattered thoughts formed a broken plea of a question.   
It all goes back to time. Everything. You and me, we’re connected just like we were then.   
He slowly felt his strength return, unseen hands stitching broken skin and blood vessels.   
How?   
Ellone just smiled sadly.   
“You need to keep going Squall. The world is sick. It needs you to find the truth and heal it.”   
What about Hyne? Who is that?   
“Another challenge for another day Squall.”   
Will I-?   
“See me again? Yes, Squall, you’ll see me again. Now-open your eyes.”   
He did as Ellone bid.   
Kadowaki leaned over him.   
“Yes Quistis he’s alright,” she called over.   
“You’re full of surprises you know that? Those cuts were pretty deep. Try to rest.”   
“What about-?”   
“Balamb. Zell went into town. Everyone’s safe,” Quistis said. “Whatever we did, it worked.”   
Rinoa entered as well. “Squall what’d I tell you about taking things on yourself!? You could’ve died, you dummy!”   
“Hey easy there, easy,” Kadowaki said. “He’s still going to need rest-miracle or no.”   
“We’ll talk later once you’re better,” Quistis said.   
“Alright out. Out out out!” Kadowaki said. “Get some rest as well.” 

Kadowaki sighed. “What am I going to do with you Squall? Alright, call if you need anything. I’ll check up on you in a bit.” 

Squall turned to see a white SEED standing by his bed where Ellone was all that time ago.   
“Commander Leonhart, you aren’t safe here. Our enemies have infiltrated SEED.”   
“What about the Doctor?”   
“She is being told of the situation. Xu and the others that can be trusted are running emergency evacuation. Are you ready Commander?”   
“A bit sore. What about my gunblade?”   
He slowly stood up, his ribs still aching something fierce.   
“My apologies Commander. You will be able to rest once we get you to HQ. Then, preparations to fight back. But not tonight. Tonight we survive while we can.” 

That night, true to the white SEEDs word, the evacuation was swift and hushed. Squall saw many soldiers and cadets loyal to Cid in the Garden civil war. 

Squall gave the Garden he had called home for so many years a good long glance.   
Something deep inside told him he would not set foot in this place on friendly terms for some time. 

The white seed ship loaded up and departed swiftly and silently in the darkness until Garden faded from view entirely.


End file.
